In the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russia’s Lancet loitering munitions have emerged as a formidable threat to Western-made armoured vehicles.
Recent footage has showcased the destruction of Ukrainian military assets, including German-made PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers, British-made M777 Howitzer, Leopard 2 tanks, and Marder infantry fighting vehicles, highlighting the effectiveness of these munitions on the battlefield.
The Lancet kamikaze drone has been one of Russia’s most effective weapons in this conflict. Essentially a big, long-range guided munition is able to strike from over 30 miles away, the Lancet has been repeatedly singled out as a particular threat to Ukrainian artillery, air defences and other assets. The Lancet-3 is an effective combat drone that has been successful in combat operations against Ukrainian systems, including Western-supplied armour and artillery.
Destruction of PzH 2000 Howitzer
On August 6, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) released a video documenting the destruction of a PzH 2000 howitzer in the Kharkiv region. According to the MoD, the strike was executed by an operator of the Lancet-guided loitering munition, resulting in the complete obliteration of the German self-propelled gun. The footage, obtained in real time, confirmed the destruction of the target.
The MoD detailed the operation, stating that during reconnaissance activities in the Novoplatonovka area, a hidden firing position and the movement of the 155-mm self-propelled artillery unit were identified.
Following the intelligence data analysis, a decision was made to carry out a precise strike using the Lancet munition, which successfully destroyed the PzH 2000.
Destruction of Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Just two days later, on August 8, another video surfaced on Russian state media showing the destruction of a Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicle by Lancet munitions. This footage further demonstrated the capability of the Lancet to target and destroy advanced armoured vehicles.
Additional Footage and Combined Use with ZALA Drones
The Russian MoD has continued to release footage of Lancet munitions in action, including strikes on Ukrainian Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and Kazak armoured vehicles in the border area of Kursk Oblast. These videos underscore the ongoing use of Lancet munitions in various combat scenarios.
In a video interview, a UAV commander discussed using ZALA reconnaissance drones and Lancet barrage munitions. The commander highlighted the high efficiency of this combination, with ZALA drones detecting targets and Lancet munitions executing the strikes. The commander noted a combat mission success rate of over 90 per cent.
More videos posted by Russian bloggers on the Telegram social media platform show Lancet attacks identifying Ukrainian hardware, including a German-supplied Leopard 2 tank and a British-made M777 Howitzer.
Technical Specifications of the Lancet Munition
The ZALA Lancet, developed by the Russian company ZALA Aero Group (part of Kalashnikov Concern), is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and loitering munition. First unveiled in June 2019 at the ARMY-2019 military expo in Moscow, the Lancet is a further development of the ZALA Kub-BLA loitering munition.
The Lancet can be used for both reconnaissance and strike missions, with a maximum range of 40 kilometres and a maximum take-off weight of up to 12 kilograms. It can be armed with high explosive (HE), HE-fragmentation, or shaped charge warheads. The munition features optical-electronic guidance and a TV guidance unit, allowing for control during the terminal stage of flight. The system allows the drone to achieve speeds of over 130 km/h.
Lancet Drone System: A Game Changer on the Battlefield
Russia is increasingly relying on large quantities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to identify, target, and attack Ukrainian positions, vehicles, and structures.
The recent successes of the Lancet loitering munitions against German-made armoured vehicles underscore their effectiveness and the evolving nature of modern warfare. As these munitions continue to be deployed, their impact on the battlefield will likely shape future military strategies and technologies. Lancet is a catapult-launched loitering munition, with a distinctive double-X wing layout. It has both daylight and thermal imaging cameras and carries an anti-tank warhead which can strike with high precision.
In June, Lancet production recently stepped up radically. Although, a drone strike on the factory producing camera systems for Lancet slowed production for a time, in May Russia carried out over 300 Lancet attacks, almost twice as many as any previous month.
Numbers have been rising since then, and the Russian site LostArmour an independent military OSINT resource in Russia which helpfully collates and tracks all online videos of Lancet strikes, recorded a record number in May with more than 300 Lancet attacks. The total for July is 168, lower, but the trend is still upwards.
According to The Lostarmour, the use of the Lancet loitering munition in the conflict has reached 2,224 strikes, and since the start of the conflict, Lancet strikes on artillery—including self-propelled guns, towed artillery and multiple rocket launchers–have destroyed 300 artillery pieces and damaged 562 more.
The Lancet drone system has dramatically impacted the battlefield, successfully targeting and destroying or damaging numerous combat systems operated by the Ukrainian armed forces.
One of the standout features of the Lancet is its ability to autonomously identify and attack targets in groups, thanks to AI processing modules embedded in the drone system. Ukrainian officials have noted that Lancet drone strikes often coincide with operations conducted by Russian reconnaissance UAVs, suggesting a coordinated effort between the two systems.
Once a target is identified, the Lancet locks on and explodes at a designated distance using a rangefinder. This capability allows it to defeat anti-drone protection cages, which typically confuse the impact fuses on other drone systems.
Before its deployment in Ukraine, the Lancet had already been tested in the combat theatre of Syria against Turkish forces, proving its effectiveness in various combat scenarios. The integration of advanced technology and strategic coordination has made the Lancet a formidable tool in modern warfare.
A newer version of the drone, purportedly called “Product 53” or the “Izdeliye-53,” can be launched from a four pneumatic tube launching system, which enables multiple next generation Lancet drones to be launched in short succession.